Sydney's Happiness
by PhantomErikPhan
Summary: Sydney Carton number twenty three Walked to the guillotine head raised high. R&R please!


**_Sydney_**

"It is a far, far better rest that I go to that I have ever known." Sydney Carton number twenty-three walked slowly towards the guillotine, head raised high and eyes facing straight. He looked up toward heaven and God and uttered a prayer. He saw the weapon which had killed so many covered with rusted blood from so many deaths, but only one lingered in his mind, number twenty-two so young she was, she didn't deserve the death she received. Most didn't.

He sighed as he walked up the steps and they placed his head between the wood and his most assured death. The blade lingered over him, but he wasn't afraid. He thought of Lucie living happily with her dear Charles, and he thought of Little Lucie playing in the garden and learning to read and write. They gave the signal for his doom, but before the blade fell someone in the crowd yelled a booming "STOP!"

"On what terms?" said the executioner more than a little disappointed.

"On the terms that this man is not Charles Darnay!" said the voice of Mr. Defarge. The crowd was an uproar and Sydney closed his eyes and muttered curses to himself. He was lifted up by the executioners gigantic arms and thrown upon the hard wood. "Damn it." he mumbled under his breath.

Mr. Defarge's dirty boots were now in front of his face and he closed his eyes. Defarge grabbed him and took him back to the prison. The crowd that had been spitting at Sydney just moments before, like a warm rainstorm, didn't even watch as they were too caught up in the next execution and cheering to pat attention. "What were you thinking?!" yelled Defarge. Sydney looked at the man confused. "Do I know you from somewhere?" he asked wondering why this man would give a damn what happened to him. "Yes. I am a friend of Mr. Lorry's and when he told me about what you intended to do I just couldn't let that happen. So I told the executioner that you were not Charles Darnay and that the real Charles Darnay had constructed a plan of escape and asked one of the guards to help, and only through black mail did that certain guard agree to find you, drug you, and switch the bodies. Then I told the executioner of how during Darnay's escape he ran into some citizens wasted no time in killing him... Mr. Carton don't look so pale that last part wasn't true."

Sydney did in fact look very pale, but not because he believed Darnay to be dead which he most assuredly didn't but because he himself was not dead. He looked at Defarge confused and said, "So I am not going to suffer the guillotine then?" and Mr. Defarge smiled and patted him on the shoulder and said "No you are an innocent victim in Darnay's escape plan and Mr. Darnay is safe as well if you want to know, everyone thinks he's dead." Sydney then started walking away. "What are you doing?!" yelled Defarge running to catch up with him. "To get a drink." he said as Defarge followed him into the nearest pub.

"Mr. Defarge does Lucie know that you came here to get me?" Sydney asked rubbing his temples. "Well no, we all thought you could tell her yourself, she was so brokenhearted when she heard what you planned to do." Defarge stated.

"Right, of course. But I do not wish to speak to Charles of this."

"But Mr. Carton if you don't speak with Lucie about this she will go on forever thinking you died today, and I just don't think she could live with that."

"Yes, I know." said Sydney with the slightest hint of a smile. He then drank the remainder of his drink and made for the door.

"Where are you going now?" asked Defarge.

"To my home in England and to speak with Lucie good fellow, I thank you for the information you have given me, but unless there's something else you need to tell me, I would very much like to be left to my duties."

"Nothing that I can recall...except I have you travel papers right here. Mr. Calloway." said Defarge proudly.

"Ah, thank you again my friend, I do hope to see you again someday, but for now I bid you farewell." he said taking the travel papers and walking out the door.

When he got to England he went to see Lucie. Nervously he knocked on the door. Ms. Pross answered with a smile as she looked at Sydney. "By the heavens." she whispered before she hugged him causing him to stagger backwards in surprise, but he hugged her back with a chuckle. "You're alive." she said looking embarrassed and straightening her skirts.

"Yes very much alive, but Lucie doesn't know, where is she?" he asked looking past Ms. Pross into the house.

"She's in the dining hall, please come in." she said.

"Thank you." Sydney said as he walked into the house. He nearly fell to the ground with the impact of Little Lucie's hug. "Oh my!" he said and chuckled. Just then Lucie walked into the room.

"By the heavens...you're truly alive!" she said running towards Sydney and hugging him. "Forgive me." she said face flushed with embarrassment.

"No, it's fine." he said. She smiled and Sydney wished not for the first time that he could kiss those lips. He smiled and looked down to Little Lucie and said, "Why don't you go see what Ms. Pross is doing so I may speak with your mother." Little Lucie nodded and ran out of the room squealing with delight at being able to annoy Ms. Pross with permission.

"I take it Charles is still around here somewhere?" Sydney asked.

"Yes, always somewhere never here. I mean I practically have to take care of Lucie alone aside from Ms. Pross...and not just Lucie, but my father as well."

"Your father is still ill?"

"Yes, he hasn't changed since last you saw him and I just feel helpless!" she exclaimed exasperated.

"Well, maybe I could help in some way?" asked Sydney with a small shrug.

"No, no, no, Sydney I could never ask that of you. It's just... I mean I don't want to seem like I am complaining-"

"Oh no, of course not!" he cut her off.

"But," she went on, "It's just Charles is Lucie's father and he's never here!"

"Well...where is he?" asked Sydney.

"I don't know half the time!" exclaimed Lucie falling into the nearest chair exhausted. "Sydney I...I don't think I love him anymore." she said in a whisper. Sydney fished a handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to her. She took it gratefully and dabbed her eyes. "I am so sorry Sydney I know you didn't come here to hear me whine about my life, but there's no-one left to talk to."

Sydney shushed her by putting a finger to her lips and saying "No, no, no dear not at all I came here to see how you were and now that I know I don't have to ask now do I?"

She smiled and said "You know Sydney, I remember a time not so long ago when you told me you loved me...perhaps I should have married you."

"And ruin your life? Just think if you hadn't married Charles you would never have had Little Lucie." he said with a smile.

"Well," Lucie said "I've been thinking about getting...divorced.

"What about Lucie?" asked Sydney seriously.

"Well for one thing it wouldn't be much different than if I were to stay with him since she never sees him, and for another thing she could at least have some form of a father if I married you." she said looking at him nervously.

"You... you would really want to marry me?" he asked trying to hide his smile.

"More than you think I do Sydney." she said squeezing his hand lovingly.

"Well if you positively think it's for the best then okay." he said happily. Then without a second thought he kissed her full on the lips and as he was leaving waved good-bye happily with the promise that they would finally be together at last.

A/N: Well that's the end R&R please!!!


End file.
